A peace deal in Ukraine is "really close" but two outstanding disagreements still have to be resolved, according to Donald Trump's outgoing envoy to Kyiv. Meanwhile, Trump's son has urged Europe to step up. Follow live below - and watch Paste BN report from inside a secret bunker.
Sunday 7 December 2025 13:33, UK
Professor Michael Clarke will be answering your Ukraine questions in a special end-of-year programme with Kamali Melbourne.
Send us a short video of your question on WhatsApp for a chance to feature in the show later this month.
More now from Donald Trump Jr, the son of the US president, who has been telling our lead world news presenter Yalda Hakim that the US could walk away from efforts to secure a peace in Ukraine.
Asked directly if he believed the US president would walk away fromUkraine, he answered at an event in Qatar: "I think he may. What's good about my father and what's unique about my father is you don't know what he's going to do. He's unpredictable."
Watch below: Trump Jr on Ukraine war not being a US priority
Drawing a parallel with his father's current "war" on drug cartels, Donald Trump Jr described gangs bringing illegal drugs into America as a "far greater clear and present danger to the US than anything [going on] in the Ukraine or Russia".
While he said he did not believe Ukraine would be "abandoned", he said: "The American public doesn't have the appetite [for endless wars and further funding of Ukraine's military efforts]."
See our post at 12.00 for Yalda Hakim's analysis of the conversation - and tap below to read our full news story on Trump Jr's comments...
Keir Starmer has been speaking to the Dutch prime minister today and briefing him about tomorrow's talks in London with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz.
Number 10 has just issued a brief update on the call, revealing that tomorrow's meetings will focus on ongoing peace negotiations - as you might expect.
A Downing Street spokesperson said:
"The prime minister spoke to the prime minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof today.
"They began by discussing Russia's intensified strikes on Kyiv in recent days and agreed the need for sustained international support for Ukraine’s defence.
"The prime minister then briefed Prime Minister Schoof on tomorrow’s meeting at Downing Street with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which will focus on the ongoing peace negotiations and next steps.
"The leaders reiterated that Ukraine's security is vital for Europe's security, and through international cooperation, including the Coalition of the Willing, we will always stand with Ukraine."
The two leaders agreed to keep in touch, Number 10 added.
A peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is "really close", Donald Trump's outgoing Ukraine envoy has said.
Keith Kellogg, who is due to step down in January, told the Reagan National Defence Forum that efforts to resolve the conflict were in "the last 10 metres", which he said were always the hardest.
Kellogg pinpointed the future of the Donbas and Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as the two main outstanding issues.
"If we get those two issues settled, I think the rest of the things will work out fairly well," Kellogg said.
"We're almost there. We're really, really close."
Two sticking points left - the context
An initial draft US peace plan envisaged the Ukrainian government giving up Donetsk and Luhansk, the two regions that make up the Donbas, to Russia.
This includes large swathes of land that are still under Ukraine's control, and where thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives fighting to defend their homeland.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is in an area that has been under Russian control since early in Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
It is not in service, but needs reliable power to cool its six shutdown reactors and spent fuel in order to avoid any catastrophic nuclear incidents.
By Yalda Hakim, lead world news presenter, in Qatar
In a country and at a conference which is friendly, even admiring of the Trump administration, Donald Trump Jr was in his element.
He's here in his capacity as a business leader, promoting his venture, 1789 Capital, which claims to be focused on "America First" investments.
But he wasn't shy about discussing his father's foreign policy achievements - boasting that Donald Trump had resolved seven or eight wars - conflicts that most ordinary Americans were unaware of.
His pitch is bullish and direct - the current US administration is projecting strength globally, stopping wars and creating investment opportunities which serve the American economy, he argued. It's the MAGA mentality for the global audience.
It's clear that the rivalry with China is their biggest focus, especially finding ways to combat their dominance over critical minerals.
"America can no longer just sit there and hope that China is going to be a good actor… I think the rest of the world understands that they want America to be at the forefront of all of that," he said.
When I asked him about recent efforts by President Trump to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, he responded forcefully, saying: "We want peace, we want to stop the death."
But he went on to say that Europe needed to shoulder the burden, and currently they have no plan.
As he sat on the stage in Qatar, the country which has been at the centre of the ceasefire efforts for Gaza, he expressed hope that peace would prevail - but balanced expectations that America would fund its reconstruction. This would have to be a global effort.
"If there's one thing my father is, it's a builder… I think he can be the greatest construction manager in the history of the world, but no one in America wants to bear the entire responsibility of that."
And, away from international diplomatic efforts, he was happy to announce a breakthrough closer to home.
The "bromance" with Elon Musk and President Trump is back on - with Donald Jr calling the entrepreneur a "generational talent, a generational level of genius".
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has posted on X in the last hour, to show his "gratitude to those whose courage changes history and does so for the sake of Ukraine".
He said in a post accompanied by pictures of him meeting Ukrainians: "I presented housing certificates to the warriors of the Security and Defense Forces who have been awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine, as well as to the families of fallen Heroes.
"Ukraine would not have survived without the heroism shown by our people – our warriors, our defenders.
"And it is symbolic that the Golden Stars awarded to our Heroes represent not only our Ukrainian honor and gratitude, but also the certainty that every Ukrainian Hero, every family of a Ukrainian Hero, will have a home here in Ukraine."
Zelenskyy added:
"I thank everyone who helps, everyone who supports you – your families, our Heroes.
"And we always remember all those who fought for Ukrainian statehood and gave their lives in battle so that Ukraine could live.
"Thank you. Glory to Ukraine!"
The Ukrainian president has been under pressure of late due to a growing corruption scandal - read our security and defence editor Deborah Haynes' analysis below after he lost a key ally last month:
Voters are going to the polls in Bucharest, Romania's capital, later today.
Forecasters suggest the city could become the first European Union capital led by a hard-right mayor.
Despite just being a mayoral race, it could also have wider implications for Romania's national politics - and therefore its neighbour, Ukraine.
Why?
The influential post has been vacant since May when centrist Nicusor Dan won a presidential election re-run one year into his second term as mayor.
The re-run came after Romania - an EU and NATO member - cancelled an election on suspicion of Russian interference that favoured far-right frontrunner Calin Georgescu, who is currently awaiting trial on charges of attempting to subvert national security.
Polls show TV anchor Anca Alexandrescu, running as an independent backed by the opposition hard-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), tied for first place in the mayoral race, according to Reuters.
The AUR opposes military aid to Ukraine, is critical of EU leadership and supportive of Donald Trump's policies - including on energy and immigration.
When will results come in?
Voting closes at 7pm UK time, with preliminary results expected later on Sunday.
Despite the warnings that Romania's fragile pro-European coalition government could be impacted by an AUR win, there are notes of caution from pollsters that the outcome is far from certain.
Analysts say surveys may be unreliable as Romania's biggest city isn't a far-right stronghold.
Russia says it has captured a village in Ukraine's northern Kharkiv region, Russian state news agencies are reporting.
Quoting the Kremlin's defence ministry, the agencies also said Russia carried out group strikes on Ukrainian transport infrastructure, fuel and energy facilities and long-range drone complexes last night, according to Reuters.
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.
The war in Ukraine is at a "really pivotal moment", the UK's work and pensions secretary has said, with European leaders set to focus on Ukraine "deciding its own future" during tomorrow's talks.
Speaking on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, Pat McFadden said "everybody" wants the war to come to an end, but Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German leader Friedrich Merz are focused on it ending in a way "that gives Ukraine that freedom of choice in the future".
"That means, not just an end to the war, but also security guarantees for Ukraine in the future and not a completely toothless organisation which is unable to decide its future," McFadden said.
"I think that will be at the heart of the discussions tomorrow.
"And President Zelenskyy knows that he has the strong solidarity of the United Kingdom and indeed of the leaders of France and Germany."
Quizzed on whether the leaders will challenge Donald Trump on the US-Russian 28-point peace plan that was put forward last month, McFadden said the draft has already evolved significantly and that "the European leaders have played a role" in this.
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced he will travel to London tomorrow to meet with Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz with the aim of putting pressure on Moscow.
It had already been announced that Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be visiting the prime minister.
In a statement on X, Macron condemned the latest Russian strikes on Ukraine, adding that France is "determined to work with all partners to secure de-escalation measures and to impose a ceasefire".
The meeting of British, French and German leaders follows talks between the Ukrainians and Americans, which Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as "constructive".
Last month, the three countries drafted a peace plan to counter the one put forward by the US and Russia.
So far, neither Russia nor Ukraine have come to an agreement on what should be included in such a plan, with subjects including territory and NATO membership in dispute.
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